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Emergency Drinking Water, Named in Threads About Filters

Emergency drinking water, in these threads, comes from a filter or purifier you can carry, and two comments add a backup for the day it fails. The Sawyer Squeeze comes up in 10 comments, and two of them argue against it.

Emergency drinking water filter: Sawyer Squeeze SP129 with two squeeze pouches — Photo from the Amazon listing for this model.

What people said

Sawyer Squeeze with a CNOC Vecto X 2l bag. Maybe get two such kits for a group of 4, also gets you a backup in case one fails (clogged/damaged/frozen).
r/CampingGear · 17 points · 2025-08-04 · open comment
I'm a long distance hiker. As far as water filters go, the Sawyer Squeeze is a great choice.
Hacker News · 2025-04-15 · open comment
A few bars for emergencies, backup water purification system plus a Sawyer Squeeze as my primary filter, and I’m good to go.
Hacker News · 2022-11-07 · open comment

The 2 comments that argue against it ↓ · Every source ↓

Squeeze filter

Sawyer Squeeze

A squeeze filter. One comment pairs it with a 2-litre bag, and two comments argue against it.

On this page: 3 comments for it and 2 against, from r/CampingGear and Hacker News.

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Opens Amazon in a new tab: Sawyer Squeeze SP129, two 32 oz pouches

Check Price on Amazon See who argued against ↓

Useful in:

Water

The jug in the garage that nobody opens

There is a water jug in the garage from the storm three winters ago, behind the paint cans, and nobody in the house will be the one to open it. The kids drink from the tap.

What repeats in the comments is failure. One comment suggests a second kit in case the first clogs, gets damaged or freezes. Another says the Squeeze filters break and leak constantly, and a third reports getting sick from clean moving water put through a Squeeze. One more keeps a backup purification system next to the Squeeze.

Survivor Picks

What Preppers Actually Use

Six more products from the same threads, each with the comment that names it.

Water filter

Sawyer Mini SP128

The smaller Sawyer, named in 6 comments, including one against it.

On this page: 1 comment for it and 1 against, from r/Ultralight and Hacker News.

The standard size Sawyer does not seal with platypus bladders and my cnoc but the sawyer mini works perfect with everything so I have been sticking with that.

r/Ultralight · 2023-08-16 · open comment

Argued against

do NOT get the Sawyer Mini to save weight/space. Get the full-sized one; you won't regret it. I've tried both and the Mini version simply does not have enough through flow to not be annoying over the course of a major trip.

Hacker News · 2025-04-15 · open comment

Opens Amazon in a new tab: Sawyer Mini SP128, single, blue

Check Price on Amazon

Gravity filter

Platypus GravityWorks

A gravity kit with a dirty reservoir and a clean one.

From r/CampingGear: 1 comment quoted below.

All our water came from a Platypus Gravityworks system. (The MSR Autoflow system uses the same filter module and is fully compatible with the platypus). When the filter is new you can filter a gallon of water in 4-5 minutes with no pumping.

r/CampingGear · 2025-08-05 · open comment

The comment does not name a size. The link goes to the 4.0 L kit, because the 2.0 L kit was out of stock when we checked on 29 October 2026.

Opens Amazon in a new tab: Platypus GravityWorks, 4.0 L

Check Price on Amazon

Purifier

MSR Guardian

A purifier. One comment says it is the only one named in its thread that can remove viruses.

From r/CampingGear and r/Ultralight: 2 comments quoted below.

The MSR guardian is the only one people have mentioned that can remove viruses. The other filters like the squeeze and gravity filter will remove protozoan and most bacteria.

r/CampingGear · 2025-08-05 · open comment

I now bring the MSR Guardian. No waiting for chemical treatment, no backflushing, no clogging, no need to prevent freezing... it just works.

r/Ultralight · 2023-08-16 · open comment

The link goes to the version with the updated storage bag, the one in stock on 29 October 2026.

Opens Amazon in a new tab: MSR Guardian, updated storage bag

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Squeeze filter

Platypus QuickDraw

A squeeze filter, picked in one comment over a second Squeeze for its integrity tests.

From r/Ultralight: 1 comment quoted below.

Good to know, thanks for the PSA. I would spend the money on a QuickDraw instead of another Squeeze so that you have the ability to do integrity tests

r/Ultralight · 2025-06-04 · open comment

The link goes to the kit with the ConnectCap and DrinkCap, the one in stock on 29 October 2026.

Opens Amazon in a new tab: Platypus QuickDraw, ConnectCap and DrinkCap

Check Price on Amazon

Gravity filter

MSR AutoFlow XL

A gravity kit. The comment is about its filter, used as a replacement in a Platypus gravity system.

From r/CampingGear: 1 comment quoted below.

I have a Platypus gravity system and couldn't find any replacement filters for it this summer, but I was able to use MSR Autoflow filters which are exactly the same as the ones used on the platypus apart from the branding

r/CampingGear · 2025-08-05 · open comment

The comment names the AutoFlow filter, not a kit size. The link goes to the 10 L kit, because the 2 L kit was out of stock on 29 October 2026.

Opens Amazon in a new tab: MSR AutoFlow XL, 10 L

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Inline filter

HydroBlu VersaFlow

An inline filter. The commenter runs it in a homemade gravity setup.

From r/Ultralight: 1 comment quoted below.

I've been doing a DIY gravity setup with an ultra-sil dry bag and VersaFlow filter for years. I put my hose attachment an inch of so up from the bottom of the bag so the sediment settles to the bottom and doesn't run through the filter.

r/Ultralight · 2023-08-16 · open comment

Opens Amazon in a new tab: HydroBlu Versa Flow filter

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Which one, by situation

For a group of four, one comment suggests two Sawyer Squeeze kits, so one is left if the other fails. Three comments describe gravity setups: one says all their water came from a Platypus GravityWorks, another used MSR AutoFlow filters as replacements in a Platypus gravity system, and a third runs a VersaFlow in a homemade gravity setup.

Viruses are a separate question, and on this page only the Guardian comment speaks to it. That still leaves the jug in the garage, which nobody will open anyway.

Who this is not for

Anyone who wants stored water rather than a filter. Containers for the shelf at home are in our water storage guide.

Check Price on Amazon

Opens Amazon in a new tab: Sawyer Squeeze SP129, two 32 oz pouches

Sources

Every comment on this page links to its source, and the threads are listed below. Product types and versions come from the manufacturer pages and the Amazon listings, checked on 29 October 2026. We have not handled or tested these products ourselves.

PSA: Your Sawyer Squeeze filter is unsafe to use if ever sanitized with non-chlorinated bleach/hydrogen peroxide r/Ultralight · 203 comments · 2025-06-04
My Thoughts on current state of Ultralight Filters including new Hydrapak 28mm filter r/Ultralight · 144 comments · 2023-08-15
What would people recommend as. water filter? r/CampingGear · 36 comments · 2025-08-04
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